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Y/n

For sake of Kayira and Nionna alike, Y/n had to figure out a plan.

With neither side budging for peace, she sat on the crate holding countless maps Jung Hoseok had made, the man sitting behind his desk with candlelight flickering across his face. Other than the scribbles of his quill and the bouncing of the flame, no noises occupied Hoseok's shop, giving her plenty of time to ponder a solution.

Pointless death didn't sit right with her—it shouldn't sit right with anyone, in her opinion—but how did she stop it? No one wished to stop it aside from Jimin and her. Two out of thousands. The odds weren't on her side, and she wondered if her downfall was imminent.

"Hobi," she said, the scribbling of the quill ceasing. "If you were of royal blood, how would you stop the war?"

The dim stone building making up Hobi's shop had no customers that time of night, and Y/n preferred it that way. As much as she enjoyed the company of her people, nothing matched the quiet of night. Plus, Nionna had the most beautiful view of the stars. If sleeping outside wasn't frowned upon by Mother, she'd sleep outside Hoseok's shop. The rushing waterfalls matched with the distant chatter from the bonfires her people loved to host made for the most soothing experience in the world.

Unlike others, such as Hobi, Y/n could sleep anywhere in any conditions. Bright light, loud noises, on a bed or on a rock—anywhere during anything, really. Sleep was one of her core values, after all.

Sleep, living, and fear were the three things she held dearest, and maybe Prince Park crept up that list, too. However, all three provided strong emotions for her. Sleep recharged her and granted her beautiful dreams of a life where her baby sister grew up into a stronger woman than Y/n could ever be. Life was incredible, and everyone deserved a chance to see all the intricacies waiting there. Fear was a caution, but also a strength when used right. It could warn you of future dangerous situations, or it could generate strong emotions reminding you that you were alive, correlating to the second of Y/n's main values.

Hobi didn't share those values, aside from life. He preferred maps and staying up all night to work on them, though Y/n had to admit it was endearing to see such a hard-working individual.

"Invade Kayira and wipe them out once and for all. No point waiting," Hoseok said, and Y/n averted her gaze. Hoseok was far from a warmonger, but he, like the entire kingdom, knew Kayira was beyond the peace treaty phase.

"Would you attempt peace?"

"Do you think they would accept it?"

There it was, the confirmation that no one in Nionna thought Kayira could accept peace. Perhaps that was true, but if Y/n could negotiate with the king and queen herself, that could change. Problem was no one wanted to listen to her aside from Prince Park, the person who never left her mind. It had been two weeks since she shared a bed with him and listened to his fears, and in that time, she had remembered the feeling of his breath mingling with hers, and the proximity of their bodies.

And, most importantly, the desire to be closer with him. A forbidden desire.

His lips refused to leave her mind. Those beautiful, plump lips she yearned for more than she ever imagined. As it turned out, her worst enemy was her greatest desire, and she would do anything to satisfy it.

"No," she said. Then, after a moment, "But if you could attempt peace, how would you go about it? Kayira's demands are for Nionna, so how would you go about giving them Nionna without giving them Nionna?"

"Such a simple question." Hoseok's heart-shaped smile blessed his face as he said those words. "Not hard to answer at all."

She chuckled and glanced over at the map he had designed. It was of both mountains, but the valley Nionna and Kayira resided was yet to be filled in. Maps were made in black and white, though Hoseok had a way of making every piece feel colorful regardless.

"Perhaps your maps hold the answers."

"Doubtful, but if you insist." Hoseok rolled up the map he worked on and stood to plop it in his work-in-progress barrel behind him. Then, he shifted to face her. "If you want my honest opinion, I would start with a peaceful option, such as trade routes, complimentary gifts for the first few months, free visits to the waterfalls, invites to join our prayers, and the list goes on. If that somehow does not work..."

"Threats?" she asked, but it was more of a statement.

Hoseok didn't bother with nodding to confirm it. "I would show them a map of our barracks compared to theirs, and then emphasize how little of a chance they stand. That would work."

She averted her eyes and nibbled on her lower lip. For a moment, she fiddled with her fingers, but she forced them to press against the crate again as she lowered her head and fired out her next question before she could stop herself.

"What about marriage? Do you think that could work?"

"Marriage?" Hoseok snorted. "Between who?"

"Royals. Perhaps his highness and me."

"You'd marry that old man?" Hoseok asked with an eye roll. "You deserve better."

"No." Y/n paused to swallow. "Just, in theory, what if I offered my hand to the prince? Do you think that could bring peace?"

"Maybe for two days before he kills you." Hoseok stopped and crossed his arms over his chest. Although he wasn't a soldier, he had the muscles of one, and they poked through the sleeves of his frilly long-sleeved shirt. "Please do not tell me this is something you considered."

Yes, many times.

She let her diplomatic training slip in to build a facade of a smile that crinkled her eyes. Smiles that crinkled eyes were far more believable, and she had spent hours upon hours every day throughout her childhood practicing to perfect it.

"Of course not," she said in a drawl she had picked up from her prince. "But I was wondering if it was a viable solution, in your opinion."

Hoseok was not a diplomat in any form, though his opinion was always well-structured and thoughtful, based on facts rather than feelings. That was what Nionna needed at the moment.

"It could be, but first you'd need to get everyone to agree with it, and how likely is that?"

Not at all. Still, it was worth a shot. They, or Jimin, had attempted to ask Kayira about peace to no avail. However, Kayira enjoyed power more than anything. Maybe even more than themselves and their scarce resources. If they had a tie with Nionna's most powerful family, it could be a turning point.

That meant she had a new plan to raise with Jimin.

She kept her fake smile as she answered Hobi, not wanting to get too lost in thought. "Perhaps I have a better chance getting them to lay down their weapons than getting them to agree to marriage." She stopped to sigh. "Thank you, Hobi. Your insight is always useful. If you will pardon me, I must take a trip to the mountains to ponder my dilemma."

Hoseok didn't reply, so she dipped her head and went to the entrance, pushing the curtain back to leave, but that was when Hoseok decided to stop her.

"Are you really going to the mountains?"

Y/n stopped, her hand pressed against the support beam holding the mouth of the shop up. Her head tilted over her shoulder to meet Hoseok's steady gaze. Not an ounce of emotion waited there, unlike all their previous encounters. Hoseok had a bouncy nature to him, where he danced between feelings and let each one be known. If only the same were true for that moment.

"Of course," she said, her lips tight and her throat scratchy. No one other than Hoseok was allowed to hear her in such a state. Maybe Jimin, too.

Hoseok's voice lowered by an octave. "Are you sure?"

Y/n didn't step back or try to explain herself. Instead, she kept the curtain parted and shook her head at him. "Goodbye, Hoseok."

"Goodbye, my friend."

Without giving him a chance to add more to the conversation, Y/n departed the shop and embraced the night. Stars twinkled alongside their bright moon. Amber rays moved like waves over the rooftops of her people's homes. Some were made of hay, others solid shingles. No matter what they had, the amber gaze remained the same, and Y/n took it in. Nature had called to her from a young age, yet she ran following her drowning incident. She wondered if she'd ever get her affection for nature back.

Y/n had her cloak on prior to going to Hoseok's, and she tied it over her dress and tugged up the hood to hide herself. Her mask was at home, but she could care less. No stops. She had to get to Jimin as soon as possible. Despite what he had said not long ago, she needed him. He wanted her, and she him. There was no point in holding back, not anymore, not with marriage as a potential plan. So, that was what she'd do.

She'd go to the prince and make him hers.

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